30 ETYMOLOGY AND SYNTAX. 



1. a. To give emphasis to an assertion, it being used in connexion Trith a nomi- 

 native, before any vowel whether close or open ; as, emi h ri, / shall see ; emi k 

 mo, / sJudl knoio. 



h. Or without a nominative, when the subject of the verb is of the third person, 

 either singular or plural ; as, k ri mi, he or theij will see me ; k kpa mi, he or they 

 will hill me. 



2. Before a verb used subjunctively, after ki, that, without a nominative, and 

 frequently with a preceding clause understood ; as in the evening salutation, ki k 

 sill) re ! may you sleep tvell ! lit. I wish that you will sleep well. Servants fre- 

 quently ask such questions as, ki k se eyi? shall I do this? lit. do you wish that 

 I shall do this? But the clause preceding 'ki' is often expressed; a.s, 6 ni, ki k 

 luh, he said, let tis go, lit. he said that we will go. 



Emphalic Particle. 



ni or li. 



§ 136. The demonstrative ' ni ' or ' li,' which assumes the nature of a substantive 

 verb (see § 181), is sometimes employed in the latter sense along Avith verljs for 

 the sake of emphasis; as, babd ni i)vi, father is or ivas seeing ; babd li o ri, father 

 saw or sees. 



OPTATIVE PAKTICLE. 



§ 13Y. This particle is used as follows: 



1. In affirmative propositions with a nominative of the fii'st or third person, and 

 in interrogative sentences with a nominative of the second person, it expresses will 

 or desire ; as, emi ma loh, I desire to go i nwoi] 6 ma loh, tltey toill go, or tvill desire 

 to go ; ei]yii} ma loh ? do ye wish to go? 



2. In affii'mative propositions, with a nominative of the second person, it 

 expresses permission; as, ma loh, or iwo ma loh, thou mayst go j e ma gbe G, ye 

 may tahe it. 



Tliis form of expression is mucli employed instead of tlic imperative, as being more courteous ; as, ma 

 kuro, thoii 7iiayesl yet out of my way ; q nia yara, ye may make haste. 



3. In connexion with words denoting the continuance or repetition of an action, 

 it expresses what is customary or habitual; as, d ma loh nigbakiigba, ive go often; 

 6z) ma nd mi lod^.6d;^umo, he fogs one daily ; iwo ma sciro kpod^ii, thou, tallcest too 

 much; 6 ma seuy ! (lie is always Mnd^, he is very hind! 6 ma kpe! (;ye always 

 stay), Jiow long ye stayed! 



§ 138. "When the particle 'ti' is employed, 'ma' precedes it; as, iwo ma ti se 

 buburu, tliou hast done evil (habitually). But when le, to he able, can, or may, is 

 employed with the verb, it may either precede or follow ' ma ' ; as, ki d le ma mo, 

 that we may hnow ; boya yi 6 ma le dzoba, pjerhaps he may or can reign. In these 

 cases also ' ma' denotes the continuance of the action. 



